{{Short description|Annual awards for live event professionals and technicians}}
{{Infobox award | name = Parnelli Awards | image = Parnelli_Award_official_logo.jpg | caption = | established = 2001 | country = United States | website = https://parnelliawards.com }}
'''The Parnelli Awards''' are annual honors recognizing excellence, innovation, and leadership in the live event and concert touring industry. The awards acknowledge individuals, companies, and technologies that contribute significantly to touring productions and live events.<ref name="parnelli-about">{{cite web |title=About |url=https://parnelliawards.com/about/ |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Parnelli Awards |language=en-US}}</ref>
== History == The Parnelli Awards were established in 2001 by tour manager Patrick Stansfield and Terry Lowe, founder of the trade publications ''Front of House Magazine'' (FOH) and ''[https://plsn.com Projection, Lights & Staging News]'' (PLSN). The first awards ceremony was held as a small industry dinner in Southern California. Over time, it expanded into a formal annual event recognizing achievements across multiple disciplines in live production.<ref name="parnelli-about" />
The awards are named in honor of Rick “Parnelli” O’Brien, a respected figure in the concert touring industry known for his work in production logistics and artist touring support, who died of cancer in 1999.<ref>{{cite web |title=Who Is Parnelli? |url=https://parnelliawards.com/who-is-parnelli/ |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Parnelli Awards |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Kevin M. |date=2021-01-15 |title=The Parnelli Awards: A 20-Year Retrospective |url=https://fohonline.com/articles/features/the-parnelli-awards-a-20-year-retrospective/ |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=FOH {{!}} Front of House Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Comparable awards == The Parnelli Awards are distinct from artist-focused honors such as the Grammy Awards, which recognize musical performances and recordings. Instead, the Parnelli Awards focus on the behind-the-scenes professionals in lighting, staging, sound and production management responsible for live touring and events.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Parnelli Awards: The 'Academy Awards' of the Live Concert Industry |url=https://top40-charts.com/news.php?nid=18683 |access-date=2026-01-10 |website=Top40-Charts.com |language=en}}</ref>
The awards are most closely related to the TEC Awards, which recognize technical achievement in audio and production across live performance, recordings, and broadcast media. Both awards are presented annually in conjunction with the NAMM Show.<ref>{{cite web |title=NAMM – Believe in Music {{!}} NAMM.org |url=https://www.namm.org/ |access-date=2025-12-26 |website=www.namm.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Parnelli and TEC Awards Winners |url=https://meyersound.com/news/parnelli-and-tec-awards-winners/ |access-date=2026-01-21 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Award categories == The Parnelli Awards include a variety of categories reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of live event production. These categories honor technical roles, creative leadership, and organizational excellence. Typical award categories include:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Awards Given |url=https://parnelliawards.com/awards/ |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Parnelli Awards |language=en-US}}</ref>
* Lifetime Achievement Award * Audio Innovator Award * Visionary Award * Production Manager of the Year * Production Designer of the Year * Lighting Company of the Year * Sound Company of the Year * FOH Audio Engineer of the Year * Monitor Engineer of the Year * NextGen Award (emerging professionals)
== Selection process == The first 3 awards, collectively known as the Lifetime Achievement honors, are selected by the Parnelli Board of Advisors<ref>{{cite web |date=2025-06-12 |title=Parnelli Awards Board of Advisors Adds 2 New Members {{!}} PLSN |url=https://plsn.com/featured/parnelli-awards-board-of-advisors-adds-2-new-members/ |access-date=2025-12-26 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Kevin M. |date=2026-04-09 |title=Audio Pros Michael Abbott and Jesse Adamson Join Parnelli Board of Advisors |url=https://fohonline.com/newsroom/on-the-move/audio-pros-michael-abbott-and-jesse-adamson-join-parnelli-board-of-advisors/ |access-date=2026-04-16 |website=FOH {{!}} Front of House Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> and announced prior to the NAMM Show.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Malcolm Weldon, Dave Rat, Roy Bickel Receive Top Parnelli Honors |website=Live Design Online |date=6 June 2024 |url=https://www.livedesignonline.com/news/malcolm-weldon-dave-rat-roy-bickel-receive-top-parnelli-honors |access-date=2026-01-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=F. O. H. |date=2025-05-16 |title=Marty Hom, Michael Laiacona and Marc Brickman to Receive Top Parnelli Honors |url=https://fohonline.com/featured/parnelli-2026-lifetime-honorees-announcement/ |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=FOH {{!}} Front of House Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Kevin M. |date=2026-05-05 |title=Announcing the 2027 Parnelli Lifetime Honorees |url=https://fohonline.com/featured/announcing-the-2027-parnelli-lifetime-honorees/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=FOH {{!}} Front of House Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> The other awards use a two-stage process. Nominations are submitted annually by industry professionals, after which entries are verified and reviewed by the Board of Advisors. Finalists are then voted on by verified subscribers of FOH and PLSN magazines via a secure ballot system.<ref>{{cite web |title=How Winners Are Chosen |url=https://parnelliawards.com/how-winners-are-chosen/ |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Parnelli Awards |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Ceremony == Since 2016, the Parnelli Awards ceremony has been held in January of each year in conjunction with the annual NAMM Show<ref>{{cite web |last=Young |first=Clive |date=2026-01-18 |title=Inside NAMM Show 2026 with John Mlynczak, Part 2 |url=https://www.mixonline.com/business/namm2026-mlynczak2 |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=Mixonline |language=en-US}}</ref> in Anaheim, California. The event serves as a major industry gathering for touring professionals, technicians, and production companies.<ref>{{cite web |last=Staff |first=Mix |date=2024-11-20 |title=NAMM Show 2025 Will Put Spotlight on Pro Audio |url=https://www.mixonline.com/business/namm-show-2025-will-put-spotlight-on-pro-audio |access-date=2025-12-26 |website=Mixonline |language=en-US}}</ref> The awards have been described by industry commentators as the Grammys for live event personnel who work behind the scenes at concerts, tours and special events.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Kevin |date=2022-11-25 |title=Producing the Parnelli Awards |url=https://kevinmmitchell.com/blog/general/producing-parnelli-awards/ |access-date=2025-12-26 |website=Kevin M. Mitchell |language=en-US}}</ref>
Music entertainers have attended and presented at the awards ceremony as a recognition of the work being done by the award winners on their behalf. Over the years, Garth Brooks, Todd Rungren, Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, Paul Anka, Alice Cooper, Adrien Belew, Tony Levin and Kevin Cronin have attended the awards event.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Kevin M. |date=2021-01-15 |title=The Parnelli Awards: A 20-Year Retrospective |url=https://fohonline.com/articles/features/the-parnelli-awards-a-20-year-retrospective/ |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=FOH {{!}} Front of House Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Past award winners ==
{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Parnelli Awards – career achievement honorees ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Lifetime Achievement Award ! scope="col" | Audio Innovator Award ! scope="col" | Visionary Award |- | 2001 | Brian Croft | | |- | 2002 | Mike Brown | | |- | 2003 | Chip Monck | | |- | 2004 | Bob See | John Meyer | |- | 2005 | Patrick Stansfield | Bruce Jackson | |- | 2006 | Jere Harris | Bill Hanley | |- | 2007 | Gerry Stickells | Bob Heil | |- | 2008 | Dennis Sheehan | Roy & Gene Clair | Michael Tait |- | 2009 | Jake Berry | Stan Miller | Richard Belliveau |- | 2010 | Randy "Baja" Fletcher | Al Siniscal | Jim Bornhorst |- | 2011 | Ed Wannebo | Kenton Forsythe | Jim Fackert |- | 2012 | Charlie Hernandez | Dave Shadoan; Ross Ritto | Joe Branam |- | 2013 | George Travis | Mark Engebretson | Eric Pearce |- | 2014 | Benny Collins | Bob Goldstein | Howard Ungerleider |- | 2015 | Chris Lamb | Pat Quilter | David Cunningham |- | 2016 | Richard Fernandez | Greg Mackie | Danny O'Bryen |- | 2018 | Bobby Thrasher | John Stadius | Jonathan Smeeton |- | 2019 | Chris Adamson | Brock Adamson | Yvan Miron |- | 2020 | Mark "Springo" Spring | Karrie Keyes | Michael Strickland |- | 2021 | David Bernstein | Sam Berkow | Peter Morse |- | 2022 | Roy Lamb | Marty Garcia | Keny Whitright |- | 2023 | Jim Brammer | Buford Jones | Carol Dodds |- | 2024 | Malcolm Weldon | Dave Rat | Roy Bickel |- | 2025 | Marty Hom | Michael Laiacona | Marc Brickman |- | 2026 | Bernie Boyle | Christian Heil | Rocky Paulson |}
The Audio Innovator Award was introduced in 2004 and the Visionary Award in 2008.
Winners in the other award categories can be found on the [https://parnelliawards.com/category/past-winners/ Parnelli Awards] website.
Many of the Parnelli Award recipients are profiled in the NAMM Oral History Program.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=PLSN |date=2020-02-24 |title=NAMM Oral History Project Shines Light on Parnelli Awards Honorees |url=https://plsn.com/featured/namm-oral-history-project-shines-light-on-parnelli-awards-honorees/ |access-date=2026-05-03 |website=PLSN |language=en-US}}</ref>
== See also ==
* Live sound mixing * Live event support * NAMM Show
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://parnelliawards.com}} * [https://plsn.com Projection, Lights & Staging News] * [https://fohonline.com FRONT of HOUSE Magazine]
Category:American music awards Category:Audio engineering awards